


Betrayal

by Luka



Series: We're a team [1]
Category: Rugby RPF, Rugby Union RPF
Genre: Assorted Saracens cast, Established Relationship, Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 10:41:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18548146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luka/pseuds/Luka
Summary: Sometimes you don't know people as well as you think you do.





	Betrayal

**Author's Note:**

> What might have been said in the Sarries changing room after Billy V's social media outburst. Warning for lots of perfectly justified cursing!

“Oh fuck! Stupid, stupid fucker!”

“Any stupid fucker in particular?” Owen opened one eye and squinted upwards.

“Read this!” An iPad was shoved under his nose.

“Hang on, our kid, let me sit up. I can’t read it from this angle.” Owen reluctantly relinquished his comfy position stretched out on the sofa, his head in George’s lap.

“Fucker. Total fucker!”

Owen took hold of the iPad, totally intrigued by now. George could curse with the best of them, particularly on the pitch, but off the field it tended to be restricted to boisterous rugby gatherings or moments of extreme passion in bed, like the previous night. As he started to read, a cold feeling enveloped his whole body …

“Oh fuck.”

George nodded, making no attempt to hide his anger. “What the fuck’s he thinking of? I mean, I know he’s religious and all that, but liking that poisonous shit from Folau. And then making it 20 fucking times worse on his own Instagram …”

“I can’t fucking believe it. I know Billy can be a fucking idiot at times, but this …” Owen put the iPad down and wrapped his arms around George. 

“Does he know about us?”

It was a good question. Owen shrugged. They’d told a handful of people – Eddie Jones (who’d nodded and then gone straight back to discussing tactics for the next game), Ben and Jonny (George’s best mates at Leicester) and Brad and Jamie at Sarries. It was unlikely any of them had broken the confidence, but you could never be sure. Their parents knew – both mothers had smiled knowingly, while their dads had reacted just as Eddie had done and shown more interest in place-kicking.

“What are we going to do? I mean, we’ve all said fucking stupid things we regret, but this … And I thought we knew him. Do we say something?”

That was typical George - we, rather than you, given Billy was Owen’s teammate at Sarries. It acknowledged yet again how they were an inseparable unit and had been for so long. And they’d known Billy and his brother Mako for years, playing together up through the England age groups. It just showed how you never really knew someone.

Owen’s reply was instantaneous. “Too fucking right we do!”

***

_Saracens and the RFU are to talk to Billy Vunipola after the England No 8 defended Israel Folau’s social media post that claimed gay people would go to hell._

_Vunipola, who highlighted his own religious faith, also added on his own Instagram account that marriage was meant to be between a man and a woman._

_A spokesman for the RFU said: “Rugby as a sport is committed to inclusivity and diversity, so we view what Billy Vunipola said with great concern. We’ll be meeting him this week to ask for an explanation of what he said on social media.”_

_And a spokesman for Saracens confirmed that they too would be demanding clarification from the player, who has been capped 36 times for England._

***

Owen had left George’s house at sparrowfart o’clock to get to training on Monday morning. He usually went back on Sunday nights, but there was no way either of them was spending the night alone.

When he pulled into the car park, the first thing he saw was Jamie, perched on the bonnet of his car and scrolling through his phone.

“All right, Faz?” Jamie stood up, but his casual air didn’t fool Owen.

Owen nodded, pulling his kitbag out of the car.

“You and Fordy, you’ve seen…?”

Owen nodded again.

“Fucking idiot. Why didn’t he keep his mouth closed? I mean, we all know Folau’s a cunt, but one of your own teammates … Are you going to say something?”

“Is he here yet?” 

Jamie raised an eyebrow at Owen dodging the question, then shook his head. For once he didn’t push for a reply and instead followed Owen through into the changing room.

There were five or six players already there, with only one topic of conversation on their lips. They broke off to greet Owen, then went straight back to their speculating.

“ … stupid fucker …”

“ … should have kept his mouth shut …”

“ … wonder if Mako agrees with him …”

“ … probably, but at least he’s got the sense to keep quiet …”

As the room filled up, the conversation grew louder. Owen had changed quietly, but hadn’t missed a word of what was being said. And so far, no one had spoken out in support of Billy. He knew that in the scheme of things, rugby union was more tolerant than, say, football, but there were idiots everywhere, and no current player had come out. And rugby players could be a bit too free with using poof and fairy as on-field insults, even if they’d never dream of saying the words to a gay person’s face. 

Owen had his back to the door, lacing up his boots, when the room went quiet. He turned around to see Billy, Mako and Brad in the doorway.

“Hey lads!” Billy was looking nervous – something you didn’t associate with him.

There were some nondescript grunts in response, and Owen, who’d never run away from a fight in his life, knew it was now or never.

“Hey Billy. So you won’t be coming to the wedding when George and I get hitched?”

Billy started to smile, but it froze on his lips when he saw Owen’s face. Behind him, Mako had frozen as well. Out of the corner of his eye Owen saw Maro raise an eyebrow. He knew the lad was religious as well, but had hoped fervently that he was bright enough to see past the homophobic shite that got spouted in the name of religion.

“What d’you mean?”

“Pretty obvious, I’d have said. George and I are gonna get married at some stage.”

“You and Fordy?”

“Yep.” Owen ignored the buzz that had gone around the changing room, not taking his eyes off Billy’s face.

“Really? You and he …?”

“Yep. Before we go to hell, of course.”

Billy looked away and Owen knew he’d scored a hit. Brad opened his mouth to intervene, but Owen fixed him with a stare that could have pinned him to the back wall.

“Faz …”

“Don’t call me that. It’s reserved for friends and people I trust.”

Billy flinched. “I’m sorry … You know me, I don’t hate anyone.”

“Really? But you and your good mate Folau don’t seem very keen on queers …”

“He’s not my mate … I just …”

“Defended what he said on Instagram. So now any gay kid in the academy or who’s coming up through the rugby ranks knows just what a top player thinks of his lifestyle. George and I are big enough and ugly enough to speak out for ourselves, but just think of all the scared kids who aren’t and who see the shit you and Folau are pedalling.”

“It says in the bible …”

“You know, I don’t give a flying fuck what it says. You believe what you like, but don’t shove it down people’s throats or use it as an excuse to pedal hate.”

“I don’t hate anyone!” Billy was angry now, slamming his kitbag down and advancing on Owen. 

“Billy … Cool it …” Mako’s voice was quiet and he pulled his brother back.

Owen, who hadn’t moved a centimetre, folded his arms and continued to stare at the brothers. He noted that Mako hadn’t made excuses for his brother, which confirmed in Owen’s mind that he shared the sentiments, but had the sense to keep them to himself.

“Billy, Mako, a word, please …” Brad’s expression was unreadable.

The brothers reluctantly followed Brad out of the changing room. Owen finally relaxed a touch and sat down on the bench. After maybe half a minute or so, conversation started up again, but it was muted, and everyone kept glancing at Owen.

And of course it was Jamie who voiced what everyone else was thinking. “You weren’t joking, were you, Faz?”

Owen shook his head.

“So how long …?” Maro was still keeping his cards close to his chest.

“Pretty much forever.” And it felt like that to Owen. He could barely remember a time when he and George hadn’t been mates. It had moved onto something more intimate when they’d roomed together on England age group tours. So yeah, almost forever …

“Who else knows?”

“Eddie Jones, a couple of Fordy’s mates at Leicester, and our families.”

“Fuck, what did your dad say?” Jamie’s eyebrows had disappeared into his hairline.

“Not much. He was more interested in pointing out what I’d done wrong in whatever match I’d played in that day. Fordy’s dad was the same.”

“So when are you getting hitched?”

Owen shrugged and retied his bootlaces. 

“I’m gonna be wounded to the core if you don’t ask me to be best man!”

And Owen had to smile. “Anything to see you in your best suit and making a speech that won’t shock me mam!”

Jamie preened and was about to say something when Brad reappeared looking grim.

“Before you ask, I’ve told Billy and Mako to stay away today to let things calm down a bit. And as it said on the news, the club are gonna have a chat to Billy this week. So let’s get out there and get on with it.”

Their studs clattered on the stone floor as they filed out onto the training pitch. Brad hung back and walked beside Owen. “You OK?”

Owen nodded.

“You serious about getting hitched to Fordy?”

“Yep.” Shit, he’d better phone George after training and tell him what he’d committed them to. He’d bet his bottom dollar that George would roll his eyes and then say yes.

***

He was nearly right. As he sat in the bar with a nervous Saracens media officer beside him, waiting for the press to arrive, he scrolled through Instagram to find the photo he’d posted an hour ago, taken by Jamie, of him holding up his left hand and pointing to his ring finger, alongside the caption: “Fordy, will you marry me?” 

The response had been almost instantaneous – an eye-rolling icon, followed by “too bloody right I will!”


End file.
